Corporate Secrets

Chapter 14: Development

"Where've you been? It's starting..." Frank said impatiently to Nicky as he waited for us at the concession stand with two buckets of popcorn and two large sodas. He was wearing his leather jacket again.

I wore my favorite red cardigan and paired it with skinny jeans and ankle boots. I wore my hair in a bun to make my hoop earrings stand out. Nicky wore a flouncy dress with ankle boots and a light jacket.

The theater was packed with students. On a Friday night, it's hardly a surprise. What's surprising is that Frank actually agreed to see a chick flick. He was apparently serious when he asked me about going to a movie with whomever I invite.

Everyone was talking about the latest installment of a trilogy that just came out. I figured, most of the people in school would want to see that so I asked Nicky if she wanted to see an alternative. Then I invited Frank.

"Ok, the women's bathroom..." She began to say and Frank rolled his eyes. He shook his head, looked at her with disdain, and held his hand up to silence her.

"T.M.I. Here." He said handing her a bucket and a soda. I was waiting for him to give me the rest but he didn't.

She looked at him funny.

"Wait. How about Lizzy?" she asked as Frank turned to look at both of us.

He simply looked at me and shrugged. His eyes were so...blue.

"Figured you guys can share." he joked.

"You don't like popcorn...that's hers." she looked at the bucket he was holding.

"Maybe, today, I want to eat popcorn."

Nicky gave him the you're-acting-weird look.

"I'll get my own..." I said walking away from them and towards the concession line.

"No. Wait. This is yours." Frank called out.

He tilted his head to the side, signaling for me to change direction and follow him.

"I'll get the napkins." I said trying to be useful. He smiled as I looked at the bucket of popcorn he was holding.

"I got 'em in my back pocket. You guys took way too long in...Never mind." He said as we followed him into the theater.

There was a line to get it in and the kid checking the tickets was Charlie. He's in my English class. Tall, curly, ginger hair, and freckles. He wore a red shirt and black trousers. His braces showed when he spoke.

"Drat. They're in my left pocket." He said holding the popcorn and the soda. He looked at me and paused.

"Can you hold this?" He said handing me the soda.

For a moment, I thought he was going to ask me to pull it out of his pocket. Which would be totally awkward...not to mention scandalous.

I took the soda from him as he reached into his pocket. He found them and handed them to Charlie.

"Hi Liz." Charlie uttered as he saw the three of us.

He looked and smiled at me then turned his gaze towards Nicky and Frank."Oh. Uh, hi there. Three?" He asked, sensing that we're all together.

We all nodded and Frank handed our tickets to him.

"Straight ahead, to your left. Have a good time, Liz." Charlie said pointing in the direction that the auditorium was in.